Letter: Did LoBiondo know about PRISM surveillance program?

Like many Americans, I have closely followed the revelations surrounding former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden’s public disclosure of the PRISM surveillance program.

I understand the vital role that intelligence plays in keeping Americans safe from terrorism at home and abroad. However, I am gravely concerned by the federal government’s considerable efforts to seize and store the personal records of millions of law-abiding citizens. It is evident that these efforts violate basic principles of privacy and greatly undermine the Fourth Amendment.

As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, our congressman, Frank LoBiondo, should tell us if he learned about the breadth of this program from news reports, or if he was aware of this activity prior to its public disclosure.

I, for one, expect members of Congress to protect the American people from such abuses of authority.